Inflatable dilator



H. L. ECKARD ET AL INFLATABLE DILATOR FeB. 3, 1948.

Filed Aug. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN T 0R5 Harry L. E's/2 ard & "James W [Ye n nedg ATTORNEYS' Feb. 3, 1948. H. L. ECKA'RD ET AL 2,435,387

INFLATABLE DILATOR Filed Aug. 14, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS' Harry L.Echard James W Kennedy ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 3, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INFLATABLE DILATOR Harry L. Eckard, Massillon, and James W. Kennedy, Canton, Ohio, assignors to Better Health, Inc., Massillon, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 14, 1946, Serial No. 690,526

12 Claims. (01. 128344) The invention relates to distendable dilators and more particularly to an improvement upon the type of dilators disclosed in Kennedy Patents No. 1,879,305 of September 27, 1932, and No. 1,965,653 of July 10, 1934, which include generally an inner tube adapted to be expanded, flexible metal guards surrounding the inner tube and an outer tube surrounding said guards whereby when the inner tube is distended the guards and outer tube will be likewise distended.

It is an object of the present invention to generally improve and simplify the construction of dilator disclosed in said prior Kennedy patents.

Another object is to provide a dilator comprising an inner tube or sack of rubber or other stretchable material surrounded by a second tube or sack of similar material, a set of resilient metal guards surrounding said tubes and a sack of rubber or other stretchable material surrounding said guards.

A further object is to provide a dilator of this character in which a band or tube of nonstretchable material is located around and connected to said metal guards to limit the flexing movement thereof.

A still further object is to provide a dilator of this character having a soft rubber base of elliptical shape and novel means for connecting the sacks or tubes and metallic guards thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dilator of this type having a plug of sponge rubber, cotton, wool or other soft material located within the end of the outer sack or tube and covering the metal cap at the ends of the metallic guards.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dilator of the character referred to with means for attaching a pneumatic bulb thereto for distending or expanding the dilator and a novel by-pass arrangement associated with said bulb for permitting the dilator to be pulsated after it has been expanded to the desired extent.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from the drawings and following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved dilator in the manner hereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view through a dilator embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 a transverse section through the base portion of the dilator taken on the line 22,,

Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a transverse section through the dilator taken on the line 3-3, Fig. l;

Fig. 4 a side elevation of the dilator on a smaller scale, showing the same partially distended; and,

Fig. 5 an elevation of the dilator showing the pneumatic bulb connected thereto and the novel by-pass arrangement by means of which the dilator may be pulsated.

Referring to the construction illustrated in the drawings, the improved dilator includes a base It of elliptical shape, made of soft spongy rubber, having a central bore II which is preferably provided with a plurality of uniformly spaced radial grooves I2 which receive the base portions of the metallic guard members which may be in the form of wires l3 as illustrated, these wires being preferably cemented, vulcanized or otherwise fixedly secured within the grooves l2 and having their lower ends bent outwardly as at M and bearing against the lower surfaces of the base It].

The upper ends of the metal or wire guard members l3 are embedded in a solid dome shaped cap l5, of metal or other suitable material, as indicated at It in Fig. 1. These guard members is are formed of spring material having sumcient resilience to normally assume the substantially straight or closed position as shown in Fig. 1 and to cause them to return to this position whenever the fiuid pressure is released from the interior of the dilator, as will be later explained.

Within the bore H is a sleeve ll of rubber or the like cemented, vulcanized or otherwise securely attached to the base in and provided with a flange l8 at its lower end covering the bent over lower ends M of the metallic guards and cemented, vulcanized or otherwise securely attached to the lower face of the soft rubber base 10.

Centrally located within the bore of the base is a metal pipe or tube IS, the lower end por-: tion of which is bent outwardly at an angle as indicated at 2B for connection to a rubber hose 2| to which a pneumatic bulb of any usual and well known construction may be provided for distending the dilator as will be later explained.

A metal disc 22 surrounds the lower portion of the metal pipe is above the bend 23 therein and is soldered, brazed, welded or otherwise fixed to said metal pipe and abuts the under surface of the rubber flange l8, a sheet 24 of rubber or the like being mounted around said pipe and cemented, vulcanized or otherwise fixed to the under surface of the disc 22 and to the under surface of the rubber flange l8, as shown in Fig. 1. a

A rubber tube 25 surrounds the metal pipe I9 within the bore of the base In and is cemented, vulcanized or otherwise secured thereto. The inner stretchable tube or sack 26 formed of rubber or the like has its lower open end surrounding the rubber. tube 25 and cemented or vul canized thereto, the'upper end 2'|th'ereof being closed.

A second rubber tube or sack 28, of slightly larger dimensions than the tube 26, has it lower.

open end surrounding and cemented to the lower end portion of the inner tube-2,6, 'and;,-is prefer- :rintermediatei theilends of the hose 21, a detachably cemented to the wire guards I3; The sacks.

or tubes 26 and 2 8 may be tied" to the'tubetorv sleeve 25 as indicated at 29 and-thelower por-- tion of the outer tube 28 is preferably cemented or vulcanized within the rubber tube 11.

For the purpose of limiting the expansion of v tend substantially the full length of the guards if desired.

The non-stretchable band-3fl may be made from a sheet or strip of wovenfabric or if desired maybe formedby wrapping anon-stretchable cord orthreadspirally around-the wire guards while they are distended tothedesi-red extent,

this cord or-threadband covering either substantially the length-ofthewireguards or only the intermediate portion thereof-as shown in Fig. The wire guards may be embedded in or located through the bandof non-stretchable mar ter-ial ifdesired.

When in normal or retracted position as shown i in Figs. land 3. the non-.stretchableband 30'lwi11 fold inward between adjacent wire guards l3xas.

best shown in Fig. 3.. A -thin layerof latex or the;likeas indi1cated at .3l is'cemen-ted or vulcan-;

ized over the non-stretchable band-:30- and preferably extends'beyond both .endsof thezband and is cemented or vulcanized toythe wireiguardsa I3 as best shown in, Fig. 1.

Surrounding the wire guards I 3- and ,the i base I Wis 29. soft ,rubberycover 32i-within the-.closedj uppenend of which is located a. soft. plug-33 of sponge rubber, woolflcotton 'or :other' soft: materialpto. cover the 's0lid cap 1 l5; of the; wire guards.

For the purpose of protecting. the-upper. end ofthe outerrubber-sack- 28 from; damage by ;con-

tact;,with the: upper; end portions of the. wire,

guards. l3 :and the: solid cap 15,-.when-the -device like may be placed within the upper ends of the.

wirezgua'rds, beneath the. cap 15,- to. shielduthe sack 2&therefrom.

In -the operation of. the di-lator, pressure is.

forced through the hose 2| 'to the inner stretchable sack'or tube. 26, thesmeansfor creating the air pressure-consisting of: a standard rubber =bu1b 34,-whiclr=-as.:-is usual' in' such bulbs, is provided.

with an inlet'valve of usual andlwell known construction at its inlet'jend 35 and; an outlet:- valve of.usualandziwell-known, construction .at its 'outlet-endndfi; these valves being so constructed that the'in'leir valve opens and -the outletva-lve' closes when the bulb-"34 iS'-.- distended, whilel the inlet valve closes: and 1 the: outlet .valve .Lopens .Iwhen the 'bulb. is closed so that with-"each operation of.

the bulb, air enters the rubber inner tube or sack 26 of the dilator and causes the same as Well as the sack 28, the wire guards I 3 and the outer rubber cover 32 to distend. The amount which the dilator can distend'is limited by the nonstretchable band 30.

In Fig. 5 is shown .an arrangement of rubber hosefan'd' pneumatic bulb'by' means :ofwhich the dilator may be distended to the desired extent, as indicated in full lines, and then pulsated so as t-o be further distended with each pulsation to .the-broken line position shown in said figure.

"This'arrangement comprises a shut-off 31 of anylfusual ian'd .well :known construction located :able coupling- 38 -being located between the hose 2.] and the.hose.39.which is connected to the outlet end of the bulb, a T-formation 40 being provided-intermediate the ends of the hose 39 and provided with a shut-0E 31a of usual and well kn w z nstruc ion.

The hose isccnnected'tofthe inlet endtof, the. bulb-:34 -ar1;d; when the dilator: is pulsated,isv adapted tobe connected to the Tiormationflfl:

s y the de a habl oupling 52-.

the shut-off 31a.-is ,closed and the hose 4 I: is disconnected from-the -detachablecoupling 42. In-

this position with each-operationof theibulb 34 air is pumped into the *dilator until it is distended to the desired extent.

If the dilator isgoing to be left in; distended position-for. some timeythe bulb -may;.be.-ren 1oved from the hos 2|. To accomplish thisthe shutoffii'lis first-closed after whichthebase 39 is disconnected from thehose- 2 I v by the detachable coup in 3fi-r r If however it is desired topulsate the dilator after it has been distended to this point the hose 4| is connectedto the 'T.-formation 50 through the. detachable coupling 42 afterrthefdilator. haSIbeen distended tothedesired extent. "The shut o'iffi'la is then opened and the shuts off 3] remains open. Then .with every operation brokenline position shown in Fig. 5' as the bulb is collaps'ed, forcing the air, 1 from 'th e'f bulb into.

the dilator and as.'tlrlje'bulb' is "distended a" portion of the air from the dilatorw'ill pass back through the hoses 2 I *and 39} Tt-formation; 40' and "hose" 4| through-the inlet valve ,of the bulbdefl'ating' the dilator 'to thefull lineposition shown-in Fig -5.

'From the-above it-wil-l be'evident t-hat' amt/erysimpl and efiicient dilator is producedg'theouter rubber-sack 28 protectingthe innerrubber sack 2B from;damage 'bycontact with the Wire guards l 3 andthe-nomstret'chable band -31} limitingthe degree ofenlargement -of 'the--dilator-so that -the patient-cannot bein'ju-r'ed' by expanding 'thein theend of the ou ter' cover will pro-tect: the 1 patient from injury bw contact withthemetal 7 cap l5 at' the' uppei end ofthewireguards.. Furthermoreit will be obvious that th'e arrangemen't of bu-lb and hose-shown in Fig. 5- provides avery satisf-actory 'm'e'ans for pulsatingthe diiator --when gdesire'diiby meansiofthe same bulb We claim:

with-which the' dilator==is ordinarilyiinfiatedi l 1. A dilator comprising a base, an inner stretchable sack supported by the base, an outer stretchable cover, a set of metalguards between said sackand said cover, a'band of non-stretchable material surrounding and attached to saidmetal guards, and means'for distending said sack" and cover and said metal guards.

2. A dilator comprising a base, an inner stretchable sack supported by the base, an outer stretchable cover, a set of-metal guards between said sack and said cover, a band of non-stretchable material surrounding and attached to said metal guards, a band of stretchable material surrounding and attached to said band of nonstretchable material and said metal guards, and means for distending said sack and cover and said metal guards.

3. A dilator comprising a base, an inner stretchable sack supported by the base, an outer sack surrounding the inner sack, an outer stretchable cover, a, set of metal guards between said outer sack and said cover, a band of nonstretchable material surrounding and attached to said metal guards, and means for distend ing said sacks and cover and said metal guards.

4. A dilator comprising a base, an inner stretchable sack supported by the base, an outer sack surrounding the inner sack, an outer stretchable cover, a set of metal guards between said outer sack and said cover, a band of nonstretchable material surrounding and attached to said metal guards, a band of stretchable material surrounding and attached to said band of non-stretchable material and said metal guards, and means for distending said sacks and cover and said metal guards.

5. A dilator comprising a base, an inner stretchable sack supported by the base, an outer stretchable cover, a set of metal guards between said sack and said cover, a band of non-stretchable material surrounding and attached to said metal guards, a soft pad in the end of the outer cover located over the ends of the metal guards, and means for distending said sack and cover and said metal guards.

6. A dilator comprising a base having a bore therein, a metal pipe located in said bore, a metal disc upon the metal pipe immediately below the base, a rubber sleeve fixed upon the metal pipe within the bore, a rubber sack fitting over and connected to said sleeve, a second sack fitting over and connected to the lower portion of the first named sack, a rubber tube surrounding and connected to the lower portion of the second named sack and connected to said bore, a flange upon the lower end of said rubber tube located between and connected to said metal disc and the lower face of the base, a rubber sheet connected to the lower faces of the metal disc and flange, a set of metal guards surrounding the second named sack and having their lower ends embedded in the base, and an outer stretchable cover over the metal guards and base.

7. A dilator comprising a base having a bore therein, a metal pipe located in said bore, a metal disc upon the metal pipe immediately below the base, a rubber sleeve fixed upon the metal pipe within the bore, a rubber sack fitting over and connected to said sleeve, a second sack fitting over and connected to the lower portion of the first named sack, a rubber tube surrounding and connected to the lower portion of the second named sack and connected to said bore, a flange upon the lower end of said rubber tube located between and connected to said metal disc and 6 the lower face of the base," a rubb'e'r sheetco'nnected to the lower faces of the metal disc and flange, aset'of metal'guards surrounding the second named sack and having their lower ends embedded in the base, and an outer stretchable cover over the metal guards'andbase; and a soft pad. within the end of the outer cover located over the upper end of the metal guards.

8. A dilator comprising a base having a bore therein, a metal pipe-located in said bore, a metal disc upon the metal pipe immediately below the base, a rubber sleeve fixed upon the metal pipe within the bore, a rubber sack fitting over and connected to said sleeve, a second sack fittingover and connected to the lower portion of the first named sack, a rubber tube surrounding and connected to the lower portion of the second named sack and connected to said bore, a flange upon the lower end of said rubber tube located between and connected to said metal disc and the lower face of the base, a rubber sheet connected to the lower faces of the metal disc and flange, a set of metal guards surrounding the second named sack and having their lower ends embedded in the base, a band of non-stretchable material located around and secured to the metal guards, and an outer stretchable cover over the metal guards and base.

9. A dilator comprising a base having a bore therein, a metal pipe located in said bore, a metal disc upon the metal pipe immediately below the base, a rubber sleeve fixed upon the metal pipe within the bore, a rubber'sack fitting over and connected to said sleeve, a second sack fitting over and connected to the lower portion of the first named sack, a rubber tube surrounding and connected to the lower portion of the second named sack and connected to said bore, a flange upon the lower end of said rubber tube located between and connected to said metal disc and the lower face of the base, a rubber sheet connected to the lower faces of the metal disc and flange, a set of metal guards surrounding the second named sack and having their lower ends embedded in the base, a band of non-stretchable material located around and secured to the metal guards, a band of stretchable material located around and secured to the non-stretchable band and metal guards, and an outer stretchable cover over the metal guards and base.

10. A dilator comprising a base having a bore therein, a metal pipe located in said bore, a metal disc upon the metal pipe immediately below the base, a rubber sleeve fixed upon the metal pipe within the bore, a rubber sack fitting over and connected to said sleeve, a second sack fitting over and connected to the lower portion of the first named sack, a rubber tube surrounding and connected to the lower portion of the second named sack and connected to said bore, a flange upon the lower end of said rubber tube located between and connected to said metal disc and the lower face of the base, a rubber sheet connected to the lower faces of the metal disc and flange, said bore having a plurality of longitudinal grooves therein, a set of metal guards surrounding the second named sack and having their lower ends secured in said grooves and an outer stretchable cover over the metal guards and base.

11. In combination with an inflatable dilator, a hose connected to said dilator, a bulb connected at its discharge end to said hose, a T in the hose between the dilator and the bulb, a shut-off in said T, and means for making a closed connection between the inlet end of the bulb with said T.

7 t 12. In combination with an inflatable dilator, a hose connected to said dilator, a bulb, means detachably connecting the bulb to the hose, a shut-off on the hose located between the dilator and the detachable connecting means, a closed branch connection between the hose and inlet end of the bulb, and a shut-0E in said branch connection.

HARRY L. ECKARD. JAMES W. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED file of this patent:

Number Number UNITED.STATES PATENT Name 4 Date Kim June 29, 1909 Newton Oct. 6, 1931' Kennedy July 10, 1934' FOREIGN PATENTS Conntry Date ,1 Germany Mar. 18, 1936' 

